The present invention relates to an aircraft cabin panel for acoustic absorption in an interior space. The invention in particular also relates to an aircraft with an interior lining with sound-absorbing panels.
Sound-absorbing panels are used in aircraft in the region of the cabins in order to improve the acoustic characteristics of the cabin interior in that the noise that is perceived to be disagreeable is reduced by means of the panels. The increasing demand for convenience in interior spaces generally goes hand in hand with increasing demands for improved quality of the environment within an aircraft because among other things there is an increased demand also for improved in-flight acoustics. For this purpose it is desirable in the interior of, for example, aircraft passenger cabins to use panels for acoustic absorption in order to reduce the noise load in the cabin interior. The noise to be reduced is, for example, noise generated by the engines, noise caused by mechanical air conditioning plant, and not least also noise generated by the occupants in the aircraft themselves. Apart from the reduction in the incoming noise, generally-speaking an increase in the acoustic absorption area provides one possibility of reducing the noise level within an aircraft interior, for example within an aircraft cabin. Furthermore, the reduction of acoustic reflections in close proximity to the passengers also contributes to an improvement in the acoustic quality. To achieve the first-mentioned reduction of acoustic transmission from the engine and the reduction in boundary layer noise into the cabin, in passenger aircraft, for example, the acoustic effectiveness of the insulation material is increased, the decoupling of structure-borne noise of the cabin lining elements is improved, or insulation of airborne noise of the cabin lining elements is optimised. These measures are associated with a disadvantage in that not only do they often go hand in hand with an undesirable increase in weight, but also in that they are unable to reduce the noise generated in the cabin itself. In order to improve the acoustic characteristics of aircraft cabins, for example the use of the region of the cabin lining for a broadband sound-absorbent effect is known. For example, from DE 10 2005 016 653 A1 a sound-absorbing panel is known in which a sandwich panel is designed so as to be acoustically transparent, and on the panel face that points away from the cabin a porous absorber is arranged which is effective over a broad spectrum. The acoustic transparency of the sandwich panel, which represents the actual cabin lining, is achieved in that a honeycomb core structure is provided that comprises acoustically-transparent cover surfaces. Due to the transparency of the panel, its weight cannot be used for the purpose of acoustic insulation. The absorber entails a requirement for increased design space and additional weight. However, any increase in weight is associated with economic and ecological disadvantages during operation of an aeroplane or some other aircraft. In the context of ever increasing fuel costs and the generally-recognised importance of CO2 emission, the aspect of component weight in the development of components in the field of aviation assumes a central position.